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Published 15 Mar, 2022 04:21pm

FM wants global community to intervene on India's ''accidental" missile fire

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the international community should step in and resolve the issue of accidental missile fire on Pakistan by India as Delhi and Islamabad don't have any formal or informal channels for dialogue.

"If we could do it bilaterally, this issue could have been resolved. But unfortunately, there is a lack of communication [between India and Pakistan]," he said, adding the international community should play a stabilizing role related to the issue.

He was addressing a press conference in Islamabad ahead of the 48th session of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers which is scheduled to be held on March 22 and 23 in Islamabad.

The foreign minister said that State Department's Spokesperson Ned Price did not take a "clear position" on the accidentally fired missile on Pakistan despite that the issue was not a bilateral one but of international concern.

Talking about the participation of foreign ministers in the OIC conference, Qureshi said so far 48 FMs had confirmed to attend the moot and they would also participate in the Pakistan Day parade on the occasion.

He mentioned multiple issues being faced by Ummah, including the issue of Kashmir and Palestine, rising trend of Islamophobia, hate speech and hijab issue and its negative impacts, humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite all these challenges, Pakistan would try to promote unity among Muslim states through this conference as it had been missing for some time, he said, "It will help in making an effective voice and build bridges of relationships among the countries, while the challenges of Ummah will be discussed in the moot and a way will be found to move forward."

The theme of the 48th OIC CFM conference will be "Partnership for unity, justice and development" and its objective will be "to build bridges and construct partnership".

He also mentioned that a report had been prepared by the special envoy of OIC and UN secretary general for humanitarian affairs. "Pakistan aspires to present this report in the meeting to review existing situation of Indian Occupied Kashmir. Islamabad also wishes that a ministerial resolution on Kashmir to be adopted and a clear message of Ummah to be sent to those elements who are silent on the issue despite knowledge of the situation in Kashmir."

"The host also wished to discuss Islamophobia and hijab issue and aspired to generate a combined response from the OIC CFM platform on the issue."

The foreign minister also added that Pakistan would also wished to table two resolutions in the moot that are "combating corruption" and strengthening cooperation amongst countries against Covid-19.

The moot will also review those decisions taken in the 47th extraordinary meeting of the council, he added.

Opposition don't have the numbers

Earlier in the day, the foreign minister said that the no confidence motion moved against Prime Minister Imran Khan will face defeat.

"There is chaos in the ranks of opposition parties and they do not have the required numbers [to push through the no-trust vote]," he said while talking to the media in Islamabad.

Terming the opposition's alliance "unholy", he repeated his earlier statement that it was not durable while predicting its demise.

On public gatherings and rallies held by the government, Qureshi remarked that the events in Mandi Bahuddin, Mailsi, Lower Dir and Hafizabad had beenn successful with people expressing solidarity with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"The historic rally at D-Chowk on the 27th of this month will be peaceful in which the Prime Minister will put his point of view before the public,"he added.

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